"
He hardly opened his lips during that weary trudge across the moor,
nor would he enter the school when he reached it, but went on to
Mackleton Station, whence he could send some telegrams.
Late at night I heard him consoling Dr. Huxtable, prostrated by the
tragedy of his master's death, and later still he entered my room
as alert and vigorous as he had been when he started in the morning.
"All goes well, my friend," said he. "I promise that before
to-morrow evening we shall have reached the solution of the mystery."
At eleven o'clock next morning my friend and I were walking
up the famous yew avenue of Holdernesse Hall. We were ushered
through the magnificent Elizabethan doorway and into his Grace's
study. There we found Mr. James Wilder, demure and courtly, but
with some trace of that wild terror of the night before still
lurking in his furtive eyes and in his twitching features.
"You have come to see his Grace? I am sorry; but the fact is
that the Duke is far from well. He has been very much upset
by the tragic news. We received a telegram from Dr. Huxtable
yesterday afternoon, which told us of your discovery.
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